Several RDRN board members and friends gathered together on Saturday, August 21 to enjoy a potluck dinner and thank Shaye HIll and Sherry Scheunert for a successful first year of Nature Central. Our thanks to Shaye and Sherry for their hard work this summer to launch this innovative and exciting program! 

From Left: Sherry Scheunert, Tony Blake, Shaye Hill, Myrna Pearman, Peggy Birse (new Managing Director), Rick Tallas, Bob Krutchen, Daryl Beck. 

        Several RDRN board members and friends gathered together on Saturday, August 21 to enjoy a potluck dinner and thank Shaye Hill and Sherry Scheunert for a successful first year of Nature Central. Our thanks to Shaye and Sherry for their hard work this summer to launch this innovative and exciting program! ​

From Left: Sherry Scheunert, Tony Blake, Shaye Hill, Myrna Pearman, Peggy Birse (new Managing Director), Rick Tallas, Bob Krutchen, Daryl Beck. ​

Wild About Bees - Aug 18
        We were blessed with beautiful weather this past Wed. for the last Family Friendly program of our first summer of programming.  We were thrilled that Jalene Makus, Agriculture Coordinator with Lacombe County could join us in the morning.  We want to thank Jalene for creating the "Wild About Bees" program and for donating 20 booklets & packages of native pollinator garden seeds for participants to take home.  Special thanks also go out to Charity Briere, our guest specialist on everything bees & bugs.  She engaged all ages as young as 3 years old!  Everyone enjoyed walking the trails at Kuhnen Park, gently catching and identifying various species of bees, butterflies & other bugs.  It was also a treat to still have a few birds above and around us.  The creativity shown on garden signs was amazing too!  Thanks to all our participants for your enthusiasm and keen interest in NATURE CENTRAL.  We hope you join us again to "Celebrate Our Wild AB Parklands"!

​Dickson Dam Site 7 – Nature Walk – August 14, 2021

Today we were honored to have Maggie, a local Indigenous elder from Red Deer, join us to explore Dickson Dam Site 7 Conservation Site west of Innisfail. Indigenous teachings included Shaye honoring Grandfather Sun, Grandmother Moon, Father Sky & Mother Earth in all four cardinal directions before guiding the group down the path to explore the diversity of the area. This natural area is a mixed-wood forest being dominated mainly by white spruce with mature trembling aspen. An old fisher skull was found in the area that appeared to be caught in a trap many, many years prior. Thank you everyone who was able to join us!

        Nature Central teamed up with Nature Alberta and the Kerry Wood Nature Center for a Family Nature Night on Tuesday, August 10 in Red Deer.  This joint event was suggested by Nature Alberta stemming from their plan to showcase a regional Migratory Bird Sanctuary for an upcoming edition of their magazine.  Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary in Red Deer was chosen and the event was tailored toward children from the ages of 5-12 but all ages were welcomed to participate.  There was an excellent turnout of 15 families for a total of 52 participants.
        Everyone enjoyed a beautiful calm evening in the outdoors while learning about nature in the Sanctuary from 6:30 - 8:30 PM.  
        Participants were divided into four groups (chickadees, nuthatches, pileated woodpeckers and ruddy ducks), with each group participating in three different activities.
        Participants took part in a 40-minute guided nature walk around the sanctuary led by KWNC staff, Kathryn and Alice.  Families explored the different habitat types (Birds in Ecosystems Scavenger Hunt) and learned what kind of birds are found in each area.
        Abigail,  Nature Alberta's Assistant Network Coordinator, travelled from Edmonton to lead groups in a 20-minute window decal craft.  She also brought numerous resources to give away including copies of "The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Alberta," "Protecting Birds of Alberta" as well as booklets and bookmarks.
        Shaye, Nature Central's Naturalist in Residence,  presented a 20-minute engaging talk about raptors, with a focus on owls.  Participants enjoyed a birds-eye view of an assortment of taxidermy, feathers, eggs and claws.
        At the end of the evening, everyone gathered together for door prizes which included (a) Swiss Alps Bee House (b) Backpack & water bottle, both donated by Nature AB and (c) "Wild About Bees" booklets with packages of native pollinator garden seeds.  These were contributed by Nature Central through a donation from Lacombe County.
        Participants expressed their thanks and appreciation for a fun and well-organized event; some even asked when the next Family Nature Night event will be!  
        We all love nature, want to share knowledge and expertise, by bringing nature and families together! ​

​NOVA Chemicals Community Nature Trails – August 7th, 2021
A great group at NOVA Chemical Community Nature Trails. The morning started out windy but as we started walking it was nice to have the breeze. Goats were busy munching away on the weeds while we strolled by. The group got lucky finding a saskatoon berry patch along the trail so we stopped briefly for a snack as a great blue heron sprung up from the nearby wetland and soared overhead. As we continued further up the gravel trail two Swainson’s hawks circled just above the tree canopy enjoying the effortless flight with the wind. A very lovely way to spend a Saturday morning, thank you to everyone who could join us!

​Pond Dipping at Tees Trout Pond - Aug 4, 2021

Pond Dipping at the Tees Trout Pond. Another beautiful morning of discovery with keen kid and parents alike!!

Thanks for exploring with Shaye and Sherry. We found lots of really neat things including a large fisheating spider. 

It's not too late to register for more FREE NATURE FAMILY FRIENDLY FUN!
Sun. Aug. 15 Butterfly Walk 
Wed. Aug. 18 Wild About Bees